Methods and apparatuses for offline selection of pay-per-call advertisers

US8209225B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UTBK, LLC · US

Inventors

• Ebbe Altberg · Mill Valley, US
• Marc Barach · Oakland, US
• Scott Faber · San Francisco, US
• Michael Fordyce · San Francisco, US
• Chris Hickson · East Palo Alto, US
• Ron Hirson · San Francisco, US
• John Somorjai · San Mateo, US
• Sean Van Der Linden · Berkeley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 3, 2008
• Grant date: Jun 26, 2012
• Expiry date: Nov 11, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M2242/14
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements for groups of advertisers. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining a geographic area after receiving a telephone call to a first telephone number publicized in an advertisement; determining a telephone number of a first advertiser; and connecting the telephone call to the telephone number of the first advertiser, the first advertiser billed for the advertisement based on telephonic connections made to connect the first advertiser and telephone calls to the first telephone number.